Structural assembly and method of assembling the same

ABSTRACT

A structural assembly comprises a first extruded component having a length and a constant cross section. The cross section defines a first cavity and a second cavity separated by a wall of the first extruded component. An aperture extends through the wall between the first and second cavities. Second and third extruded components have respective lengths and constant cross sections. A first connector is positioned within the first cavity of the first extruded component and extends into the second extruded component. A second connector is positioned within the second cavity of the first extruded component and extends into the third extruded component. A fastener extends through the first connector, the aperture, and the second connector and is configured to secure the first and second connectors to the first extruded component.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to structures. More particularly, the invention relates to structures built with extruded components.

SUMMARY

The invention provides, in one embodiment, a structural assembly comprising a first extruded component having a length and a constant cross section. The cross section defines a first cavity and a second cavity separated by a wall of the first extruded component. An aperture extends through the wall between the first and second cavities. A second extruded component has a length and a constant cross section. A third extruded component has a length and a constant cross section. A first connector is positioned within the first cavity of the first extruded component. The first connector extends into the second extruded component. A second connector is positioned within the second cavity of the first extruded component. The second connector extends into the third extruded component. A fastener extends through the first connector, the aperture, and the second connector and is configured to secure the first and second connectors to the first extruded component.

The invention provides, in another embodiment, a method of assembling a structural assembly. A first leg of a first connector is positioned within a first cavity of a first extruded component. A first leg of a second connector is positioned within a second cavity of the first extruded component. A fastener extends through the first and second connectors, thereby fixing the connectors relative to the first extruded component. A second extruded component is positioned over a second leg of the first connector. A third extruded component is positioned over a second leg of the second connector. The second extruded component is fastened to the second leg of the first connector. The third extruded component is fastened to the second leg of the second connector. The first extruded component includes a constant cross section extending in a lengthwise direction. Positioning the second and third metal components over the second legs of the respective first and second connectors includes moving the second and third extruded components in the lengthwise direction of the first extruded component onto the respective second legs of the first and second connectors.

The invention provides, in yet another embodiment, an extruded component having a constant cross section along a length of the extruded component. The extruded component includes a first wall, a second wall, a first cavity extending the length of the extruded component and at least partially defined by the first wall, a second cavity extending the length of the extruded component and at least partially defined by the first and second walls, a third cavity extending the length of the extruded component and at least partially defined by the second wall, a first fastener aperture in the first wall, and a second fastener aperture in the second wall. The second fastener aperture is aligned with the first fastener aperture. An axis defined by the first and second fastener apertures extends through the first, second, and third cavities.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a building constructed of components of a structural assembly.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a partially constructed building comprising the structural assembly components.

FIG. 3 is a partially exploded view of the building shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4A is an enlarged perspective view of a joist hanger coupled to an extruded component.

FIG. 4B is a perspective view of a joist hanger assembly for coupling to an extruded component.

FIG. 5 is a partially exploded view of extruded components and connectors of the structural assembly, illustrating horizontal assemblies.

FIG. 6 is a partially exploded view of extruded components and connectors of the structural assembly, illustrating vertical assemblies.

FIG. 7 is a side view of an extruded component.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the extruded component shown in FIG. 7, taken through line 8-8.

FIG. 9 is a side view of a T-bracket connector.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the T-bracket connector shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a side view of another T-bracket connector.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the T-bracket connector shown in FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a central joint utilizing the extruded components of FIGS. 7-8 and the T-bracket connectors of FIGS. 9-10.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a corner joint, utilizing the extruded components of FIGS. 7-8 and the T-bracket connectors of FIGS. 9-10.

FIG. 15 is a front view of a wall comprising extruded components and connectors.

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional top view of the wall shown in FIG. 15 taken along line 16-16.

FIG. 17 is an enlarged top view of the central joint shown in FIG. 16.

FIG. 18 is an enlarged top view of the corner joint shown in FIG. 16.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a plurality of joints utilizing extruded components and connectors.

FIG. 20 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the joints shown in FIG. 19.

FIG. 21 is an enlarged perspective view of another of the joints shown in FIG. 19.

FIG. 22 is a partially disassembled top view of the joint shown in FIG. 21.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a building 10 constructed from extruded components 14 and connectors 18, 22, as shown in greater detail in later figures. The building 10 includes vertical or upright assemblies 26 that define walls of the building 10. The vertical assemblies 26 include multiple extruded components 14 extending vertically and horizontally. Wall panels 30 (e.g., opaque wall panels, transparent or translucent windows) are positioned between the extruded components 14 to aid in forming the walls. In some embodiments, panels 30 may be omitted in designated locations to form openings in the wall. Further, doors 34 (or otherwise door openings) may be provided in the upright assemblies 26 to provide access to the interior of the building 10.

The building 10 further includes horizontal assemblies 38 that define floors and/or ceilings. The horizontal assemblies 38 include multiple extruded components 14 extending horizontally, parallel and perpendicular to one another. The floor includes floor panels 42 (e.g., plywood) that are positioned between the extruded components 14 to aid in forming the floor. In some embodiments, the building 10 may be multiple stories, where the ceiling of a lower floor further defines the floor of an upper floor. In some embodiments, a roof 46 may be dissimilar from a floor and formed of roof panels 50. As shown, the roof panels 50 are angled (e.g., 2 degrees) relative to the floor panels 42 to facilitate drainage.

In some embodiments, the building 10 may be a temporary structure that may be assembled for temporary events, disassembled into manageable assemblies or parts, and moved to a new venue or location. The building 10 may be modular or scalable by modifying or replacing some of the components or assemblies to modify the size, shape, or design of the building 10.

FIG. 2 illustrates a partially constructed building 10, showing greater detail of the interior of the building 10. FIG. 3 illustrates the building 10 in a further state of disassembly. As illustrated in FIGS. 2-3, the lower horizontal assembly 38 (that defines the floor) includes extruded components 14 (e.g., aluminum, such as 6063-T6 aluminum) arranged in a grid to define gaps or openings in which the floor panels 42 are supported. For example, the arrangement of the grid of extruded components 14 permits the insertion of four foot by eight foot plywood floor panels 42. Some trimming or cutting of the floor panels 42 may be necessary prior to insertion. As shown in greater detail in FIG. 4A, joist hangers 58 may be fixed (e.g. welded, fastened) to the extruded components 14 to support joists 62 (e.g., 2′×4′ wood studs) underneath the floor panels 42 or roof panels 50. As shown, the joist hangers 58 are welded to the extruded components 14 at contact points 58A where the hanger 58 abuts against the extruded component 14. The joists 62 provide support to the underside of the floor panels 42 such that large floor panels 42 are capable of supporting the weight of people or objects within the building 10 without bowing. In some embodiments, a finish floor (not shown) may be positioned over the floor panels 42 and extruded components 14 of the horizontal assembly 38.

As an alternative to the joist arrangement shown in FIG. 4A, where individual hangers 58 are welded to the extruded components 14 at contact points 58A, multiple hangers 58 may instead be aligned with one another and welded (or otherwise affixed) to a plate 60. As shown in FIG. 4B, the plate 60 includes a plurality of apertures 64 extending through the plate 60. As shown, pairs of apertures 64 (aligned vertically with one another) are spaced apart along a length of the plate 60 and are interspersed between the hangers 58. Fasteners (not shown) such as threaded fasteners extend through the apertures 64 and into an extruded component 14 to attach the plate 60 and the hangers 58 to the extruded component 14 so that joists 62 can in turn be attached to the extruded component 14.

Similar to the horizontal assembly 38, the vertical assembly 26 (that defines the wall) includes extruded components 14 arranged in a grid to define gaps or openings in which the wall panels 30 are supported. The same lengths of the extruded components 14 may be utilized for the vertical assembly 26 and the horizontal assembly 38, such that the walls panels 30 may be sized similarly to the floor panels 42. Alternatively, longer variations of the extruded components 14 may produce openings of different sizes for supporting different wall panels 30 (e.g., opaque walls, windows) and doors 34.

FIG. 5 illustrates the extruded components 14A, 14B, 14C and connectors 18, 22 that collectively form a frame 70 of the horizontal assembly 38. The extruded components 14A, 14B, 14C shown in FIGS. 5-6 are identical to the extruded components 14 described elsewhere throughout the specification, labeled differently here to connote the orientation of the extruded components 14 relative to one another and to a ground surface. For simplicity, only a portion of the frame 70 is shown in FIG. 5, though additional extruded components 14A, 14B, 14C and connectors 18, 22 are similar to those shown and connect to one another in a similar manner as those shown. As will be described in greater detail below, the connectors 18 (FIGS. 9-10) connect vertical extruded components 14A to horizontal extruded components 14B, 14C, and the connectors 22 (FIGS. 11-12) connect horizontal extruded components 14B to other horizontal extruded components 14C at right angles. Further, a third connector 78 connects any of the extruded components 14A, 14B, 14C in an end-to-end collinear or coaxial arrangement. As shown, the horizontal extruded components 14B, 14C are in-plane (i.e., the horizontal plane generally parallel to the ground surface) with one another. The extruded components 14B extend perpendicular to the extruded components 14C. The vertical extruded components 14A extend out of the horizontal plane and perpendicular to the horizontal components 14B, 14C. While the vertical extruded components 14A are present for interconnecting some components of the horizontal assembly 38 to one another, for simplicity, these vertical extruded components 14A are considered a portion of the vertical assembly 26 rather than the horizontal assembly 38, except as otherwise noted.

FIG. 6 illustrates the extruded components 14A, 14B, 14C and connectors 18 that collectively form a frame 74 of the vertical assembly 26. Some of the wall panels 30 and some panel retainers 82 (for covering the extruded components 14A, 14B, 14C on an exterior of the building 10 and holding the panel 30 against the extruded components 14) are additionally shown in FIG. 6. Similar to the horizontal assembly 38 of FIG. 5, only a portion of the frame 74 of the vertical assembly 26 is shown in FIG. 6. There is overlap between the frames 70, 74 of the horizontal and vertical assemblies 38, 26 as the lower horizontal extruded components 14B, 14C define a portion of both of the frames 70, 74. In this way, the vertical and horizontal frames 70, 74 are interconnected to collectively form the building 10.

FIGS. 7-22 focus on the details of the extruded components 14, the connectors 18, 22 and how the extruded components 14 and connectors 18, 22 are arranged and assembled to form structures, such as the vertical and horizontal assemblies 26, 38 of the building 10. FIG. 7 illustrates a side view of a portion of an extruded component 14. The extruded component 14 has a constant cross section extending along a length L1 of the extruded component 14. The constant cross section is interrupted by apertures 166, 170 (as described in greater detail below) formed at various intervals along the extruded component 14 (i.e., in a post-processing step after the component 14 is extruded).

A cross-section of the extruded component 14 is shown in FIG. 8. As shown, the extruded component 14 defines a first cavity 102, a second cavity 106, a third cavity 110, and a fourth cavity 114. A first wall 118 is located between the first cavity 102 and the second cavity 106 and is further located between the first cavity 102 and the fourth cavity 114. A second wall 122 is located between the second cavity 106 and the third cavity 110 and further between the third cavity 110 and the fourth cavity 114. A third wall 126 extends between the first and second walls 118, 122 and is located between the second cavity 106 and the fourth cavity 114. The first and second walls 118, 122 extend parallel to one another and perpendicular to the third wall 126. The first, second, and third walls 118, 122, 126 collectively form an “H” shape with the third wall 126 being the horizontal wall that connects the vertical first and second walls 118, 122.

A fourth wall 134 extends parallel to the third wall 126 between adjacent distal ends of the first and second walls 118, 122 to define and fully enclose the fourth cavity 114. No wall extends between the other pair of adjacent distal ends of the first and second walls 118, 122, such that an opening or slot 158 provides access to the second cavity 106 at locations along the length L1 of the extruded component 14. Any of the first, second, third, or fourth cavities 102, 106, 110, 114 can be utilized as wire conduits, for example, for concealing electrical wires.

Identical stepped wall portions 138 extend from each end of the first and second walls 118, 122. Each stepped wall portion 138 extends outward from a proximal end 142 at the first and second walls 118, 122 (i.e., away from the second and fourth cavities 106, 114) and at least partially defines one of the first or third cavities 102, 110. Each stepped wall portion 138 includes a first step 138A and a second step 138B. Each step 138A, 138B includes two wall portions (as shown, equal length wall portions) that extend perpendicular to one another to form a (vertical) rise and a (horizontal) run. For simplicity, focusing on the stepped wall portion 138 located in the lower right corner of FIG. 8, the first step 138A starts at the distal end 142 of the first wall 118 and extends away from the first wall 118, perpendicular to the first wall 118 and then parallel to the first wall 118. From the distal end 140 of the first step 138A, the second step 138B extends similar to the first step 138A, first perpendicular to the first wall 118, then parallel to the first wall 118, terminating at a distal end 146 of the stepped wall portion.

The stepped wall portions 138 that extend from each end of the first wall 118 extend toward one another such that the distal ends 146 of these stepped wall portions 118 are in facing relation to and aligned with one another and are nearer one another than the proximal ends 142. The distal ends 146 are additionally spaced apart from one another to define an opening or slot 154 therebetween. The opening 154 provides access to the first cavity 102 at locations along the length L1 of the extruded component 14.

Similarly, the stepped wall portions 138 that extend from each end of the second wall 122 extend toward one another such that the distal ends 146 of these stepped wall portions 138 are in facing relation to and aligned with one another and are nearer one another than the proximal ends 142. The distal ends 146 define an opening or slot 162 that provides access to the third cavity 110 at locations along the length L1 of the extruded component 14. Therefore, all of the first, second, and third cavities 102, 106, 110 are accessible, not only from an end of the extruded component 14, but also along the entire length L1 of the extruded component 14. As shown, the openings 154, 158, 162 each have a substantially equal width (e.g., 1.50 inches). The term “substantially” in this context is understood to account for standard manufacturing and production tolerances and deviations.

The stepped wall portions 138 further define a panel support notch or corner notch 150, a right-angle recess or indentation externally located (i.e., on an outside surface of the extruded component 14) at each corner of the extruded component 150. As shown, the corner notch 150 is partially defined by the first and second steps 138A, 138B of the stepped wall portion 138. When the extruded components 14 are assembled into a frame or structure, a panel (e.g., wall panel 30, floor panel 42, roof panel 50, etc.) is positioned within the corner notches 150 such that the panel 30, 42, 50 is flush with the extruded component 14 or otherwise recessed within the corner notch 150, yet still external to any of the four cavities 102, 106, 110, 114.

The first wall 118 includes a plurality of fastener apertures 166 (e.g., circular apertures, slots, etc.) connecting the first cavity 102 to the second cavity 106. Similarly, the second wall 122 includes a plurality of fastener apertures 170 connecting the second cavity 106 to the third cavity 110. As shown in FIG. 7, the plurality of apertures 166, 170 on each of the first and second walls 118, 122 are aligned along the length L1 of the extruded component 14. As shown, a plurality of the apertures 166, 170 are located at or adjacent each lengthwise end of the extruded component 14 and may further be located at locations therebetween. The apertures 166 in the first wall 118 and the apertures 170 in the second wall 122 are aligned (i.e., axially aligned) such that each fastener aperture 166 in the first wall 118 is coaxial with a fastener aperture 170 in the second wall 122. An axis Al is shown in FIG. 8 and is defined as the central axis of the fastener apertures 166, 170. As shown, the axis Al is perpendicular to the first and second walls 118, 122.

FIGS. 9-10 illustrate the connector 18 used to couple extruded components 14 together. The connector 18 is a laminated bracket made of, for example, multiple layers of aluminum such as 6061-T6 aluminum. The layers are held together, for example, via roll pins or spring pins 202. The spring pins 202 extend through the layers and expand to hold the layers together. In other embodiments, the connector 18 may be of solid construction (i.e. non-laminated) and may be an alternative material (e.g., steel, such as welded steel). The connector 18 includes a first leg 178 and a second leg 182 extending from the first leg 178. A length L2 of the first leg 178 extends perpendicular to a length L3 of the second leg 182. The connector 18 is a T-bracket as the second leg 182 of the connector 178 extends from a central portion of the first leg 178. As shown, the second leg 182 is not necessarily centered on the first leg 178. In other embodiments, the connector 18 may be an L-bracket where the second leg 182 extends from an end of the first leg 178.

The first leg 178 of the connector 18 includes a first or upper aperture 186 that extends through the first leg 178 of the connector 18 in a direction perpendicular to the length L3 of the second leg 182. The first leg 178 further includes a second or lower aperture 190 that extends parallel to the upper aperture 186. The second leg 182 extends from the first leg 178 at a position between the upper and lower apertures 186, 190. The upper and lower apertures 186, 190 are sized and spaced apart similar to the fastener apertures 166, 170 in the extruded component 14.

The first leg of the connector 18 further includes a first or upper slot 194 and a second or lower slot 198 that extend through the first leg 178 of the connector 18. Each of the slots 194, 198 extend in a direction parallel to the length L3 of the second leg 182 and parallel to one another. The upper and lower slots 194, 198 extend perpendicular to and intersect the upper and lower apertures 186, 190, respectively. The slots 194, 198 have a width similar to the diameter of the apertures 186, 190. The slots 194, 198 extend through the lengthwise or distal ends of the first leg 198. In a laminated bracket having layers, utilizing slots 194, 198 that extend through the layered boundaries in place of apertures reduces the areas of low surface contact between layers. In embodiments where the connector 18 is made of a non-laminated material, the slots 194, 198 may be replaced with apertures.

The second leg 182 of the connector 18 includes a plurality of apertures 206 extending along the length L3 of the second leg 182. As shown, the apertures 206 are sized and spaced apart similar to the apertures 166, 170 of the extruded component 14. The apertures 206 extend through the second leg 182 perpendicular to the lengths L2, L3 of the first and second legs 178, 182 of the connector 18 and parallel to the apertures 186, 190 in the first leg 178.

FIGS. 11-12 illustrate the connector 22 used to couple extruded components 14 in the horizontal assembly 38, as discussed above, and as shown in greater detail in FIG. 20. Similar to the connectors 18, the connectors 22 are T-brackets having a first leg 226 that extends along a length L4 and a second leg 230 that extends along a length L5 from the first leg 226, perpendicular to the length L4 of the first leg 226. The first leg 226 includes first and second apertures 234, 238 similar to the upper and lower slots 194, 198 of the connector 18, extending parallel to the length L5 of the second leg 230. Further, the second leg 230 includes a plurality of apertures 242 spaced apart along the length L5 of the second leg 230, and extending through the second leg 230 parallel to the length L4 of the first leg 226. As shown, the second leg 230 includes three apertures 242, though in other embodiments, the second leg 230 may be truncated, having only the two apertures 242 nearest the first leg 226. As shown in FIG. 11, the thickness of the second leg 230 is less than the thickness of the first leg 226 to facilitate coupling with the extruded components 14, as described in greater detail below with respect to FIG. 20. The transition between the first and second legs 226, 230 includes a fillet 246 at the change of thickness. As shown, the fillet 246 may have a radius greater than half of the change in thickness between the first and second legs 226, 230. In other embodiments, the transition between the first and second legs 226, 230 may be a ninety degree angle with no fillet. Similar to the connector 18, the connector 22 may be layered or laminated, or otherwise non-laminated (e.g., solid) and may be made of metal such as aluminum or steel.

FIG. 13 illustrates a central joint in which three horizontal extruded components 14B, 14C are affixed to a vertical extruded component 14A. In the central joint, all three of the horizontal extruded components 14B, 14C are coplanar, the plane of the horizontal extruded components 14B, 14C being perpendicular to the length L1 (FIG. 7) of the vertical extruded component 14A. With the vertical extruded component 14A in position, the first leg 178 of a first connector 18 is positioned within the first cavity 102, the first leg 178 of a second connector 18 is positioned within the second cavity 106, and the first leg 178 of a third connector 18 is positioned within the third cavity 110. The connectors 18 can be inserted into the respective cavities 102, 106, 110 at any point along the length L1 of the vertical extruded component 14A through the associated slot 154, 158, 162, or may otherwise be slid down into the cavities 102, 106, 110 from a lengthwise end of the vertical extruded component 14A.

The three connectors 18 are aligned with one another (at the same height as one another) within the cavities 102, 106, 110 of the vertical extruded component 14A and are each further aligned with the apertures 166, 170 (FIG. 8) in the vertical extruded component 14A. More specifically, the first leg 178 of the first connector 18 is inserted into the first cavity 102 of the vertical extruded component 14A such that the upper and lower slots 194, 198 are aligned with respective fastener apertures 166 in the first wall 118 of the vertical extruded component 14A. Similarly, the first leg 178 of the third connector 18 is inserted into the third cavity 110 of the vertical extruded component 14A such that the upper and lower slots 194, 198 are aligned with respective fastener apertures 170 in the second wall 122 of the vertical extruded component 14A. The first leg 178 of the second connector 18 is inserted into the second cavity 106 of the vertical extruded component 14A such that the upper and lower apertures 186, 190 are aligned with both of the first and second fastener apertures 166, 170. Therefore, the second legs 182 of the first and third connectors 18 are collinear with one another, but the second leg 182 of the second connector 18 extends perpendicular to the second leg 182 of the first and second connectors 18.

Once the three connectors 18 are aligned with the fastener apertures 166, 170, a fastener 250 (e.g., threaded fastener such as a bolt) is inserted into the first cavity 102, through the upper slot 194 of the first connector 18, through an aligned aperture 166 in the first wall 118 and into the second cavity 106, through the upper aperture 186 in the second connector 18, through an aligned aperture 170 in the second wall 122 into the third cavity 110, and through the upper slot 194 of the third connector 18.

A second fastener 250 may additionally be passed through the three connectors 18 and the vertical extruded component 14A. As shown, the second fastener 250 is inserted into the first cavity 102, through the lower slot 198 of the first connector 18, through an aligned aperture 166 in the first wall 118 and into the second cavity 106, through the lower aperture 190 in the second connector 18, through an aligned aperture 170 in the second wall 122 into the third cavity 110, and through the lower slot 198 of the third connector 18. A nut 254 may be used to further secure the fasteners 250 to the connectors 18 and vertical extruded component 14A.

With the three connectors 18 fastened to the vertical extruded component 14A, the horizontal extruded components 14B, 14C are slid, positioned, or dropped into place over the second legs 182 of the respective connectors 18. More specifically, each second leg 182 is positioned within the second cavity 106 of the horizontal extruded component 14B, 14C, abutting the second leg 182 against the third wall 126 of the extruded component 14B, 14C. While the second legs 182 can be inserted into the second cavity 106 from an end of the horizontal extruded component 14B, 14C, the second leg 182 can also preferably be inserted through the slot 158 that runs the length L1 of the extruded component 14B, 14C. Therefore, each horizontal extruded component 14B, 14C can be assembled to the vertical extruded component by dropping the horizontal extruded component 14B, 14C over the second leg 182 of the connector 18. Permitting assembly in this orientation may ease assembly, especially between two vertical components 14A, where there is not a gap large enough to axially insert second legs 182 of the connectors 18 into the distal ends of the horizontal components 14B, 14C.

Once the horizontal extruded component 14B, 14C is positioned over the second leg 182 of the connector 18, fasteners 258 are inserted through the apertures 206 of the second leg 182 and the apertures 166, 170 in the horizontal extruded component 14B, 14C to secure the horizontal extruded component 14B, 14C to the connector 18, and therefore secure the horizontal extruded component 14B, 14C to the vertical extruded component 14A. A nut 262 may be used to further secure each fastener 258 to the connector 18 and horizontal extruded component 14B, 14C.

FIG. 14 illustrates a corner joint in which only two horizontal extruded components 14B, 14C are affixed to a vertical extruded component 14A. In contrast to the central joint, one of the first and third cavities 102, 110 of the vertical extruded component 14A does not receive a connector 18. In FIG. 14, the first cavity 102 does not receive a connector 18. Therefore, the assembly of a corner joint is similar to that of a central joint as described above with respect to FIG. 13, except as otherwise described. The connectors 18 are aligned with one another in the second and third cavities 106, 110 and aligned with the apertures 166, 170 in the first and second walls 118, 122 of the vertical extruded component 14A. Each fastener 274 (similar yet, in some embodiments shorter than the fasteners 250) is inserted into the third cavity 110, through the respective slot 194, 198 of the connector 18 in the third cavity 110, through an aligned aperture 170 in the second wall 122 and into the second cavity 106, through the respective aperture 186, 190 in the second connector 18, and through an aligned aperture 166 in the first wall 118 into the first cavity 102. There, in the first cavity 102, a nut 278 may be used to further secure the fasteners 274 to the connectors 18 and vertical extruded component 14A. In the illustrated embodiment, the fastener 274 may be reversed such that the nut 278 abuts the connector in the third cavity 110 and the head of the fastener 274 is in the first cavity 102. The assembly of the horizontal extruded components 14B, 14C to the connectors 18 is similar to that shown and described with respect to FIG. 13.

If the first and second cavities 102, 106 of the vertical extruded component 14A support connectors 18 for a corner joint, rather than the second and third cavities 106, 110, each fastener 274 is inserted into the first cavity 102, through the respective slot 194, 198 of the connector 18 in the first cavity 102, through an aligned aperture 166 in the first wall 118 and into the second cavity 106, through the respective aperture 186, 190 in the second connector 18, and through an aligned aperture 170 in the second wall 122 into the third cavity 110.

FIGS. 15-18 illustrate a portion of the frame 74 of a vertical assembly 26. Similar to the joints shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the vertical assembly 26 includes a plurality of corner joints and central joints. FIG. 15 is a front view of the frame 74 and shows that each vertical extruded component 14A includes a plurality of joints (where it interfaces with horizontal extruded components 14B, 14C) along the length L1 of the vertical extruded component. As shown in FIG. 15, there are four joints equally spaced along the length L1 of the vertical extruded component 14A. FIGS. 17-18 are enlarged top views of the corner and central joints shown and described above with respect to FIGS. 13 and 14. FIGS. 21-22 illustrate further perspectives of the central joint, as described above.

In some embodiments, a central joint does not have a connector 18 positioned within the second cavity 106 of the vertical extruded component 14A. In this embodiment, a spacer 286 is positioned within the second cavity 106 such that when the fastener 250 is tightened, the vertical extruded component does not deflect or deform. In some embodiments, the spacer is a cylinder having a through-hole through which the fastener 250 passes to retain the spacer 286 relative to the fastener 250 within the second cavity 106.

FIGS. 19-20 illustrate the connector 22 for assembling two perpendicular horizontal extrusion components to one another. The joint shown in FIG. 19 is similar to the assembly described above with respect to FIGS. 13 and 17, except as described below. Rather than being utilized in a vertical assembly 26 (e.g., wall) at the joint between a vertical extruded component 14A and a horizontal extruded component 14B, 14C, the connector 22 is utilized in a horizontal assembly 38 (e.g., floor, ceiling, roof) at the joint between two horizontal extruded components 14B, 14C. FIG. 19 illustrates a ceiling or roof. A floor using the brackets 22 is shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5. With continued reference to FIGS. 19-20, the fastener 250 extends through the first, second and third cavities 102, 106, 110 of the extruded component 14C to fasten opposing connectors 22 located in the first and third cavities 102, 110 to the extruded component 14C. A spacer (not shown) similar to the spacer 286 may be positioned within the second cavity 106 of the extruded component 14C to limit deflection of the extruded component 14C when tightening the fastener 250. Each extruded component 14B is placed (e.g., slid) over the second leg 230 of the connector 22 and fastened to the second connector 22 via the fasteners 258. In contrast to the joints shown in FIGS. 13 and 17, the apertures 242 on the second leg 230 of the connector 22 extend through the second leg 230 perpendicular to the apertures 206 that extend through the second leg 182 of the connector 18. In this way, when the slot 158 of the extruded component 14B is slid or moved over the connector 22, the apertures 242 in the second leg 230 of the bracket 22 align with the apertures 166, 170 in the extruded component 14B and the fourth walls 134 of both of the extruded components 14B, 14C are coplanar with one another as support surfaces.

Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A structural assembly comprising: a first extruded component having a length and a constant cross section, the cross section defining a first cavity and a second cavity separated by a wall of the first extruded component, an aperture extending through the wall between the first and second cavities; a second extruded component having a length and a constant cross section; a third extruded component having a length and a constant cross section; a first connector positioned within the first cavity of the first extruded component, the first connector extending into the second extruded component; a second connector positioned within the second cavity of the first extruded component, the second connector extending into the third extruded component; a fastener extending through the first connector, the aperture, and the second connector and configured to secure the first and second connectors to the first extruded component.
 2. The structural assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the first, second, and third extruded components extend orthogonally relative to one another along their respective lengths.
 3. The structural assembly of claim 1, wherein the second and third extruded components are collinear with one another along their respective lengths, and wherein the length of each of the second and third extruded components extends perpendicular to the length of the first extruded component.
 4. The structural assembly of claim 1, wherein the fastener is a first fastener, the structural assembly further comprising a second fastener extending through the first connector and the second extruded component to secure the first connector to the second extruded component, and a third fastener extending through the second connector and the third extruded component to secure the second connector to the third extruded component.
 5. The structural assembly of claim 1, wherein the wall is a first wall and the aperture is a first aperture, and wherein the cross section of the first extruded component further comprises a third cavity separated from the second cavity by a second wall of the first extruded component, and wherein a second aperture extends through the second wall between the second and third cavities, the structural assembly further comprising: a fourth extruded component having a length and a constant cross section; a third connector positioned within the third cavity of the first extruded component, the third connector extending into the fourth extruded component; wherein the fastener extends through the first connector, the first aperture, the second connector, the second aperture, and the third connector, and wherein the fastener is configured to secure the first, second, and third connectors to the first extruded component.
 6. The structural assembly of claim 5, wherein the fourth extruded component extends parallel to the second extruded component along its length.
 7. The structural assembly of claim 5, wherein the fastener is a first fastener, the structural assembly further comprising a second fastener extending through the first connector and the second extruded component to secure the first connector to the second extruded component, a third fastener extending through the second connector and the third extruded component to secure the second connector to the third extruded component, and a fourth fastener extending through the third connector and the fourth extruded component to secure the third connector to the fourth extruded component.
 8. The structural assembly of claim 5, wherein the first aperture is aligned with the second aperture.
 9. The structural assembly of claim 5, wherein the fastener sequentially extends through the first connector, the first aperture, the second connector, the second aperture, and the third connector.
 10. The structural assembly of claim 5, wherein the cross section of the first extruded component is identical to the cross section of the second, third, and fourth extruded components.
 11. The structural assembly of claim 5, wherein each one of the first, second, and third connectors is identical.
 12. The structural assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second connectors includes a first leg and a second leg extending perpendicular to the first leg, wherein the fastener extends through the first leg of the first connector and the first leg of the second connector.
 13. The structural assembly of claim 12, wherein the first leg of the first connector is positioned within the first cavity of the first extruded component and the second leg of the first connector extends into the second extruded component, and wherein the first leg of the second connector is positioned within the second cavity of the first extruded component and the second leg of the second connector extends into the third extruded component.
 14. The structural assembly of claim 12, wherein the second leg extends from the first leg in a lengthwise direction, wherein the fastener extends through the first leg of the first connector, parallel to the lengthwise direction of the second leg of the first connector, and wherein the fastener extends through the first leg of the second connector, perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the second leg of the second connector.
 15. The structural assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second connectors is a laminated bracket.
 16. The structural assembly of claim 15, wherein the fastener extends through a slot in the first connector and an aperture in the second connector.
 17. A method of assembling a structural assembly, the method comprising: positioning a first leg of a first connector within a first cavity of a first extruded component; positioning a first leg of a second connector within a second cavity of the first extruded component; extending a fastener through the first and second connectors, thereby fixing the connectors relative to the first extruded component; positioning a second extruded component over a second leg of the first connector; positioning a third extruded component over a second leg of the second connector; fastening the second extruded component to the second leg of the first connector; and fastening the third extruded component to the second leg of the second connector, wherein the first extruded component includes a constant cross section extending in a lengthwise direction, and wherein positioning the second and third metal components over the second legs of the respective first and second connectors includes moving the second and third extruded components in the lengthwise direction of the first extruded component onto the respective legs of the first and second connectors.
 18. An extruded component having a constant cross section along a length of the extruded component, the extruded component comprising: a first wall; a second wall; a first cavity extending the length of the extruded component and at least partially defined by the first wall; a second cavity extending the length of the extruded component and at least partially defined by the first and second walls; a third cavity extending the length of the extruded component and at least partially defined by the second wall; a first fastener aperture in the first wall; and a second fastener aperture in the second wall, the second fastener aperture aligned with the first fastener aperture; wherein an axis defined by the first and second fastener apertures extends through the first, second, and third cavities.
 19. The extruded component of claim 18, wherein each of the first, second, and third cavities includes a peripheral opening extending the length of the extruded component.
 20. The extruded component of claim 19, wherein each of the peripheral openings has a width perpendicular to the length of the extruded component, the width of each of the peripheral openings being substantially equal.
 21. The extruded component of claim 19, further comprising a panel support notch located at a corner of the extruded component. 